I Didn't Mean to Cause you Trouble
by Jing Mei Chen
Summary: Alex has some unfinished business which upsets Isabel on the eve of her wedding to Jesse


"God this can't be happening" she kept running..  
  
"Isabel!" Max called  
  
"This isn't happening" Isabel muttered under her breath, grass staining the bottom of her feet  
  
"IZ!" Michael yelled  
  
"He can't.."  
  
"Come on Isabel!" Maria called,sounding slightly annoyed."He's dead" her voice shook,"He's gone"  
  
"ALEX!" *************************** She shot up in the bed,sweat dripping down her face, her heart racing in her chest.Isabel looked over at the body next to her.Alex was gone..but she had Jesse.  
  
Then how come even after he left, she still could feel him?  
  
"I'm not really here. You need to move on. You need to move past me, and you need to start now" *************************** Oh no, I see A spider web, it's tangled up with me And I lost my head The thought of all the stupid things I said  
  
**************************** Maria folded her arms across her chest and stamped her foot  
  
"Isabel!" Liz called,"We're here"  
  
She bit her lip and pounded on the door,"As much as I love you..I love you sweetie, I DON'T want to get up this early,to wait out here in the cold.."  
  
"Good morning" Isabel smiled,"Come in...I made coffee"  
  
Maria glared,forcing a smile,"Nice of you to answer"  
  
Liz looked at Isabel with raised eyebrow, and Isabel smiled at her coyly,"Did you guys decide on the color of the bridesmaid dresses?"  
  
"Something to go with my frost bitten fingers" maria replied,pushing past them."Hey Jesse!"  
  
"I was just on my way out" he replied,tie strewn around his neck,"Good luck ladies, and I will see you later Isabel"  
  
The three girls stood huddled together on the front step."Byyeee Jesse" they waved ***************************** Oh no what's this? A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle Oh I turned to run The thought of all the stupid things I've done  
  
****************************** "You don't have any other friends" Michael grumbled,"Maybe someone who likes this kind of thing.."  
  
"Don't mind him" Max replied  
  
Jesse looked between them and chuckled,"Hey Kyle!"  
  
"I'm not coming out!"  
  
"It couldn't possibly be as bad as me" Michael called back  
  
"I'm not coming out!"  
  
Jesse just stood there and shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Welcome to the family" Max muttered  
  
Jesse turned and smiled,"It's always this crazy?"  
  
"You have noooo idea" Max replied  
  
"They're just tuxes!" Jesse called,"Please..guys!"  
  
"He's got a point" Kyle answered,swinging the dressing room door open,"We're not the ones being fitted for our ball and chain"  
  
Michael motioned to Kyle  
  
"What??"  
  
Max glared at him,fuming  
  
"right.." **************************** Isabel stood at the sink and looked out longily at the flowers in the backyard  
  
"I'm not wearing anything that color!" Maria whined  
  
Liz narrowed her eyes,"But I look good in pink!"  
  
"Good for you!"  
  
She narrowed her eyes, to steady her eyes.  
  
"You're not being fair!" Liz snapped  
  
"I have a boyfriend! Who am I trying to please??" Maria leaned back in her chair  
  
Liz shook her head,"You're going to be sorry.."  
  
There was a loud crash by the sink.Isabel turned around shaking."Soo.."  
  
Maria and Liz looked at each other with confusion  
  
"I saw Alex.." **************************** And oh, I never meant to cause you trouble And oh, and I never meant to do you wrong And oh, well if I ever caused you trouble Oh no, I never meant to do you harm *****************************  
  
Maria sat across from her and rubbed her forehead."How could you see Alex,Iz??He's dead"  
  
Liz looked away,swallowing hard."He was..okay?"  
  
"I.." Isabel's face started to crumble,"He left..I mean, I stopped seeing him,talking to him,after Jesse asked me to marry him."  
  
Maria raised an eyebrow  
  
"Maybe you miss him?" Liz said quietly  
  
Isabel shook her head  
  
"You DON'T miss Alex?" Maria sprung up,"It's ALEX!"  
  
Liz and Isabel looked at her softly  
  
"I MISS HIM!" she cried,"Why could YOU only see him? And you don't need him??"  
  
Liz turned her face away as she started to cry  
  
Isabel looked down at the table as tears slipped down her cheeks ********************* Oh no I see A spider web and it's me in the middle So I twist and turn Here am I in my little bubble ********************* Jesse sat on the step stool,looking defeated and tired  
  
"What's the flowers?" Kyle stood in front of him  
  
Jesse looked up and shrugged,"Isabel's part of the wedding"  
  
He nodded,"You have no idea?"  
  
Jesse shook his head,"Ask Max"  
  
Max winced as the tailor stuck pins into his legs,"I think the last choice was lilies"  
  
"Funeral lilies or I love you lilies?" Kyle asked  
  
"What's the difference?" Michael replied  
  
"One's.."  
  
"Forget I asked" he shook his head,chuckling  
  
Jesse let out a loud sigh  
  
"Mr.Ramirez?" the man at the counter called,"Is he with you??" he pointed at Michael  
  
Jesse nodded reluctantly,already reaching for his credit card.  
  
"He just defaced my store"  
  
Max hit his shoulder,"Stop it!"  
  
"What?" Michael smirked smugly  
  
He shook his head,"Nevermind" ****************************** "We're supposed to be working on the wedding" Liz said,breaking up the silence  
  
Both Maria and Isabel turned and looked at her  
  
"Evidently" she looked around,"Alex didn't want to be left out"  
  
Maria stamped her foot,"Stop it!"  
  
"He's.." Isabel started  
  
"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Maria cried ******************************* "Don't do this Maria" Liz stood on the step watching her friend start her car  
  
"I can't be here!" Maria snapped,"You coming??"  
  
Feeling torn,Liz shook her head,"I can't"  
  
"Thanks for nothing" Maria shouted as she sped away  
  
Liz bit her lip as she closed the door behind her ******************************** "Why are you back,Alex?" Isabel brought her head up to look him in the eyes  
  
He sighed loudly,"You tell me"  
  
"Why now??I'm happy" Isabel forced a smile,"See, happy"  
  
Alex shook his head,"Isabel.."  
  
"What about Maria??Or Liz, maybe they need you?"  
  
"At night" Alex leaned back on his chair,"Sometimes she talks to me.But Maria doesn't believe I can actually be there.Like I was for you"  
  
Tears slipped down her cheeks  
  
  
  
"Magenta's a good color" Alex held up a swatch of fabric from the table."It'll make them look beautiful.."  
  
Isabel looked up quickly,"LIZ!"  
  
"Don't say it.." Liz struggled to find her voice,"I...I... I miss him too. Sometimes I hear his voice.."  
  
"Liz" Alex pushed the chair back and stood up  
  
"But I know he's gone,Isabel.This is scary.even for you"  
  
Isabel stayed at the table, a pained look on her face."It's not pink,but what about magenta?"  
  
********************************  
  
"Get off the mannequin!" Maria called from the door of the tuxedo shop.  
  
"Oh thank god" Jesse and the store owner muttered under their breath  
  
Maria stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips."Drop the socks,Guerin"  
  
Michael hid the pair of socks he had been spiking to Kyle behind his back."Hey Maria"  
  
"Are you okay Jesse?" she asked,grabbing the socks away from Michael  
  
He nodded  
  
"max?" Maria called  
  
"Right here" he answered,"I was just..."  
  
"Being fondled for hours by the tailor" Kyle snickered  
  
The old man stood in front of the curtain and looked down at his watch  
  
"Guess what" Maria gave him a shove,"Your turn"  
  
Kyle scowled **************************** "I feel bad" Isabel said quietly  
  
Liz shook her head,"It's not your fault..I mean.."  
  
Isabel held up her hand,"Don't bother.I know what you're going to say"  
  
They both stared longily out the window  
  
"Jesse should be home soon.." **************************** Maria looked down at the top of his head  
  
"I told Isabel I would be home soon.."  
  
"HURRY IT UP GUYS!" Maria yelled,"Jesse's gotta go"  
  
One by one, Kyle, Max and Michael slowly crept from the dressing rooms  
  
"Damn I'm good" she chuckled,"Jesse?"  
  
He looked up,his eyes wide,"You're a miracle worker Maria"  
  
Michael rolled his eyes,"Oh brother" he muttered  
  
Maria shot him a glare  
  
Max's eyes settled on the shadow in the mirror  
  
Alex waved back ******************************* Liz sat quietly on the couch,her hands at her sides  
  
"Jesse!" Isabel ran out to the car,"Am I glad to see you.." ******************************** "Sooo..Maria?" he stood with his hands on his hips. His lawyer stance Isabel called it."She seemed fine at the tuxedo shop"  
  
Isabel shrugged,"She seemed pretty upset"  
  
Jesse never took his eyes off Liz."She drove you?"  
  
Liz nodded  
  
"I'll take you home" Jesse looked at Isabel strangely  
  
Liz stood up,"Thank you Isabel.."  
  
Isabel shook her head and walked towards the bedroom ************************************ "You aren't going with them??"  
  
Isabel turned around quickly,"Why are you doing this??"  
  
Alex pointed to the phone right before it rang  
  
She narrowed her eyes,"Hello?" ************************************ "Max.."  
  
Alex smiled calmly on the couch  
  
"Noo..it's fine.You don't have to come .." Isabel sighed hanging the phone up,"over"  
  
************************************* Max stood in the doorway.  
  
"I thought I had.." Isabel shook her head and started walking back into the kitchen  
  
"You stay here and talk to me Izzy!" he yelled,"I nearly screamed seeing him smile back at me in the mirror.The same person I couldn't save..bring back to life was smiling at me!"  
  
Isabel closed her eyes  
  
"And then you tell me he's been with you all this time.." Max's bottom lip started to quiver  
  
She turned around,"I thought.."  
  
"You thought what?" Alex asked,sitting on the kitchen table  
  
They both turned to stare him down  
  
"I thought I had said goodbye already" ************************************** 


End file.
